Congratulations! Inner west residents have forced the Government to slam the brakes on their plans for road network changes around the WestConnex tunnel portals.

Thanks to you, Transport for NSW are now saying that they “are going to take some more time” to make sure their proposals reflect the needs of our local community.

Over 3,400 local residents spoke up about the changes, with 86% pointing out the many ways they would impact local residents, including access to our suburbs, increased traffic around schools, pedestrian and cyclist safety and rat running on local streets.

You let the Government know that:

• The removal of the traffic lights at Dalhousie Street would make it harder to move around Haberfield and Ashfield and increase traffic on local roads including Bland Street, St David’s Road, Haberfield Road, O’Connor Road, Ramsay Street and Sloane Street, including on streets around Haberfield Public School;
• The proposed U-turn on Parramatta Road would be dangerous and will back up traffic on Parramatta Road;
• Closing right-hand access at Waratah Street and removing the traffic lights would make it hard to travel between Ashfield and Haberfield and increase traffic around Dobroyd Point Public School; and that
• The community would not stand to lose the 406 bus route.  

In their current form, these changes were always about improving traffic for drivers using WestConnex at the expense of local access and amenity. Inner west residents have sent a clear message that we won’t stand for it.

The community warned the Government that WestConnex would increase traffic on local roads and they owe it to Haberfield, Ashfield and Leichhardt residents to get this right.

I will continue to work with local residents to make sure that any future changes improve life for local residents, not make the worst impacts of WestConnex on our local streets even worse.

Thank you to all those local residents who made a submission.

This is an extraordinary effort and sends a strong reminder to this Liberal Government that inner west residents won’t be pushed around!